Amusement vehicle



R. J. LUSSE AMUSEMENT VEHICLE Filed'neo. 22. 1928 .15 sneetssheer l Nov. 24, 1931.

Nov. 24, 1931. Rf J.. LUSSE 1,333,8441

AMUSEMENT VEHICLE Filed Dec. 22. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT! OFFICE ROBERT I. LUSSE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR To LUssE-"BRorHERs, ING., or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A cononAzpioNv oFPENNsYLvANIA y AMUSEMENT VEHICLE `Application led December 22, 1928. Serial No. 327,927.

My invention relates to vehicles, having particular relation to such vehicles asare adapted for use in amusement parks.

In its broad aspect, one object of my invention is to provide simple, efficient and compact propelling means for a. carof the character described. i

Another objectof my invention is to provide a vehiclewhicli is particularly characterized by its ease of control, permitting the operator to steer the car in a forward, side or reverse direction.

Still another object of my invention isto provide a vehicle,-wherein a steering wheel, whichispositioned at the front end thereof,

vis power driven, so that thevvehicle may be Vpropelled from the'front end, rather than the rea'r'end.4 A

A further obj ectfof my invention is to provde, in apparatus of the' character described,

a steering wheel, in combination with means whereby a movement of the steering wheel into Aa reversing position maybe resiliently retarded. Y

A still furtherjobject of my invention'` is to provide means, whereby a suitable traction effect may be maintained between the steering wheel and the floor surface, with a mini- 'mum weight on the steering wheel. r

A still further object of Amy invention is to provide power-operating means for a steering wheel, wherein a driving shaft is provided with a Aclutch connection to the steeringr wheel. 4 y

A still further object of my invention is to provide an amusement vehicle comprising a steering wheel, and power-operating means therefor provided with an adj ustably mounted motor. l

i A still further object of my invention 'is to provide apparatus of the class described', comprising power-operating means for a steeringfwheel, theoperating means' including flexible coupling means. i With these and other objects and applications in mind, my invention further consists in the details of construction and operation Y and arrangement, hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in drawings, wherein y the aCCOmp anying Fig. 1 is a longitudinal,sectional view of an amusement vehicleembodying my. invention; i fi Fig. 2 is anfenlarged, transverse sectional View through the front endof the car,ilook- 55 ling in the direction of the power-driving ap'- paratus for the steering wheel, the sectional plane being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a still Vfurther enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the detail, structure of the steering wheel and the supporting and driving parts immediately associatedv therewith; 1

Fig. 4 isa detail,.horizontal sectional VView taken on the line 4 4 of Fg..2, illustrating the resilient abutment tending to prevent a movement of the steeringy wheel into 4a 'reversing `position;` C i Y Y Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view of the driven gear-wheel for the steering wheel, with its spring-'abutting shoulder shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section ofthe coupling means for associating the motor shaft and the j driven shaft which is clutchconnected to the `steering-wheel; and i i Fig'. 7 is an enlarged detail View ofone vof the adjustable supporting sleeves for the driving motor with its clamping. bolt.

Referring to Fig. 1,the amusement vehicle or car therein shown comprises broadly a main horizontal platform 1, which is mo'vably mounted in the front end on' a steering wheel 2 and at the rearend on a pair of non-swivel` 35 ing, spaced supporting wheels 3 positioned at the sides of the platform 1 a shock-absorbing bumper 4 constituting the sub]l ect matter of my prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,754,112, dated AprilS, 1930,.`and as.- signed to Lusse Brothers,lnc.; a seat 5 supported by a'structure 6 -on the rear endof the platform 1 a hood 7 mounted on the front end of the platform 1'; "steering means '8, which includes the swiveling wheel 2, for con.- trolling the direction of movement ofthe car; and power-operatingineans 9, whereby the car may be propelled. i l

The'steering means 8 includes the steering wheel2 (Fig. 3) which is movable .over a floor ingv member 52 positioned immediately adj ation 22 anda lower portion 23, these portions being secured together by bolts 24, so that the steering' wheel 2 and the shaft 13-may be e removed as Ya unit when the lower bearing portions 23 are released by the unscrevving of y the boit 24. Y

lOpposite sides 25`and 26 of the steeringY wheel 2 are positioned between inner sides 27 v and 28 of thedepending arms 18 and 19,

respectively, of the supporting member 21.

Asshown in Fig.` 3, the` adjacent sides 25, 27 and 26, 28 are in spaced relation, permitting a slight axial movement of Vthe steering Wheel 2 relative to the supporting member 21, for reasons as will presently appear. in greater detail.A Such relative movement may be caused by tightening a'nut 29 on the threaded end portion 31 of the shaft 13YeXtending .beyond the. bearing 16, andby correspondingly loosening a nut'32 mounted on a threadedend'p'ortion 33 of the shaft 13 extendingr beyond .the opposite bearing 17. In this manner,the steering Vwheel 2 may be moved to 'the right, Aas viewed in Fig. 3. Should it rbe 'desirable to movethe steering wheel 2 to the left,thenl it is necessary only toloosen the nut 29 and correspondingly tighten the A base portionf34 of theiU-shaped support- Ving'member 21 positioned in an aperture 35 formed in the front end of the car platform 1,

and it is provided with a flat upperfside 36 Vwhich seats against a similar lower side 374 of ka' base plate 38 bolted or otherwise secured v on'an upper side 39V of the platform 1, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The base plate 38 is vformed with a centrally-positioned,.upward- ,ly-extending hub 41 constituting a bearing,

` acentral opening 424 of `whichfis 'adapted to receive an upright tubular port-ion 43 of the yU-shapedjmember 21. VVThe supporting member 21 thus receives the weight of the front end rof the car on'itsflat bearing surface 36 .i and, at the same time, is journaled fori-'ota- Vtive movement'only in the bearingafforded by the hub 41.

A member 44 of cup 4shape .slidably mounted onl an upper edge 45 ofy the hub41,

and it is keyedto an vend portions-46 ofthe tubular Vportion V43 positioned beyond the vupper e'dge 45. An innerside of the'member 44 is provided with a plurality of teeth forming a bevel gear-wheel 47, which co-acts with a driving pini'on48. Thefpinion 48 is mounted on a lower end of a steering post section 49,

. an upperv end of which Yextends through a bearing 51 carriedby the upper side portion of the hood 7 land vterminatesiin a steer- Aturning of the supporting member-21fand the cent to the seat 5, so as to be accessible to the operator. The lower end of the steering` post 1 wheel 4 7, the latter, by reason of its conpection to the tubular Yportion- 43, caus'ingthe Vsteering vwheel 2 about a vertical'aXis. The dotted-line positionrof Fig. 4y illustrates the position of the. steering wheel 2 when it is desired to move the'car'in a forward direction.:. TheV position ,ofthe steeringwheel 2 following a 9()o movement from the mid-position is illustrated in dot-and-dash l-ines,while the positionof the steering rvvheel2 for a movement from the mid-position inthe opposite direction greater than' 90O is shown by dash-lines.

- One of the important features ofthe'pres'- ent invention isy the provision of-the poweroperating means 9 for the carat the front end thereof directly under the hood 7, as shown'V in Fig. 1, said power `means being so conynected to the steering wheel 2 that the-'latter .maybe operated independently of the steer ingmember 52 to causevcthe propulsion of the car. To this end, I providebroadly, an adjustably-mounted motor 57 (Fig.4 1) and power-transmitting means comprisinga flexible coupling member 58 (Fig. 6), a shaft 59, gear-wheel mechanism 61 and a spring-loaded clutch 62, permitting the occurrence of slippage between the steeringwheel 2-and the power-transmitting `means when the load exceeds a predetermined safe value,lasoccurs, for eXample, when the c'ar is stalled.v .In accordance with my invention, the stationary motor l57-is so mounted on a supporting structure 63 Figs. 1 and 2) that a driving shaft 64 is in approximately a vertical pos'ition-and` is in substantial Valignment with Y the shaft 59. vThe supporting structureV 63 comprises a'pair of spaced upright rods V,65 and k66, the' lower ends of which are respectively secured Vin bosses 67 and 68von-t-heupas shownin Fig. 1 and terminatejust below an upper top portion 71 ofthe hood 7. The `rods 65 and 66- pass-.through tubular portions 72'andf73 of a supporting plate 74.

of a Avertical front end wall69 of the hood 7,

Each of these tubular portions are provided Y Vwith a set screw 75, Vwhereby the supportingv Y plate 74 may be secured in a desired-vertical position. C l

The supporting plate 744s also provided With a plurality ofthread-ed apertures 76 for eXteriorlythreaded. tubulary members 77 (Figs. 1 and 7) Ai bolt 78 extends through each of the tubular members 77, the supporting plate 74 and a flange 7 ofthe motor 57.

A front head 80 of eachvof thebolts 7 8'-en gages Aat frontend 81 of the adj acent'tubular sition of the motor 57 laterally with respect to the coupling means 58 and shaft 59,1each of the nuts 83 is loosened .and the tubular members 77 are then turned in sofas to fincrease or decrease thespacing between` the outer end 84C of the tubular members 77 s and Vthe supporting platef74i .'Thus, the position of the motor 57 'may-be adjusted laterally without disturbing the vertical 'position thereof. Should itbe necessary to replace the motor 57 by anothermotor having different dimensions, then the vertical adjustment thereof may be readily accomplished, without disturbing the lateral adjustment, merely by moving the supporting-platen vertically on the rods 65, 66 and then tightenling the set screws 75 'when the desired vertiv cal position for the motor has been reached. As 'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper end of the rods 65 and 66 maybe bracedby means of locking devices 85 and 86 `which extend between endflanges 87 and` 88 of the supporting plate 74 and the front end wall'69 of the hood 7. Each of theselocking vdevices comvprises'a sleeve 89 which is secured in threaded engagement with one of the shoulders 87, 88

and extended therefrom toa washer. 91 positioned inV abutting relation with an inner 'side of the hood end wall 69. A bolt 92 eX- tends through the end wall 69, the washer 91,

the adjustable sleeve 89 and one of the `shoullders 87, 88 and terminates in a threaded end portion 93 for a clamping nut. 94.' When it is desired to securely lock the supporting plate 7 4 in position, following the mounting of the motor 57 thereon and the vertical ad'- E justm-ent thereof to a desired position, the

threadedmembers 89 are so turned asto eX- tend from the supporting shoulders 87 and passedthrough the end wall 69 of the housing 7 and the sleeves789, and the nuts 94l are next positioned on the free ends'thereof. i The whole is lfinally securely locked inA positivonby turning the clamping nuts 94, so that the sleeves 89 may be tightly secured between the shoulders 87 v and 88 and the end wall 69.

' The flexible coupling means 58 V(Figs. 1 and 6) comprises a. pair"of members v95 and 96, which are secured to the vadjacent ends of the motor shaft 64 and the drive shaft-59 and are provided withlenlarged' sockets 97 and 98 of rectangular cross-section. A Linings 99 and 101 of rubber or other resilient material are positioned inthe sockets 97 and 98, respectively, as shown in Fig.v 6,'an'd`seat against shoulders 102 at the inner ends thereof.

These linings are adapted.` to receive? rec.-

tangular end portions 103and11011 of a'pai'r-of Ysteel members 105 and 106,'respectively, outer end portions107 and 108 of vwhich* are interconnected .byasleeve 109 keyed or .otherwise An upper edge 111 vof lthe sleevez V109 Iabuts against a washer v112,V securing the latter in engagement with an outer edgerllfofthe rubber lining 99 `and preventing'an `outward p movement `thereof.l A vsimilar-.washer1.11/1' is j (positioned between a lower edge .115 of-Qthe sleeve 109and an edge 116 ef therubber lin! ing 101 so as-,to preventan upward movement of the'latter. i As'illustratedinFig; 6,'anzin- 4lwardmovement of `these linings is prevented` by the Ashoulders A102. 1Thefrubberlinings99 and 101 thus permit a slight' disalignment of the motor shaft 61,1.: and the Agear shaft' '59 `without anV increase in theside .bearing `pres,- `sureof theseshafts., vIn' addition, such'flexible connection prevents `van 1undesirable. vibration of the parts of the coupling. 1y

The? shaft 59 (Fig. 3), whichiis connected to the motor shaftv 64xthrough the flexible coupling 58',V extends through thel cent'erofV the upright tubular portion 48 `and is :jour-jV naled in the aXis thereof 'bymeans'of arpair of spa-ced anti-.friction devices l1117 Vand-118.` Tl'iepanti-fricti'on device 1-17 comprises :conz centricinner and` outer Vrings i 119 and 121i and a plurality of` anti-friction *elements-122" po"y sitioned therebetween'. The inner'ring'119is provided 'with al shoulder 123 :whichissupported on `a shoulder 124CV formedbywa threaded-shaft portion125' of reducedrdiameter. The outer ring `121V4 is supported-Ona shoulder 126 formed .by enlargingan upper `portionV 127 of the opening in :the -vtubular portion 43. VWashers 128 are mounted on the f uppersideof the rings 119 and 121 and a nut 129 carriedby the threaded portion 125engages the same. lnthis way, the portion of the shaft `59 adjacent to the bevelgear-wheel 47 isy `supported in desired V.vertical position and l prevented @from undesirable lateral movement 88 to the-washers 91. .The bolts 92are ,then

noV

The lower endvof,l thejanti-friction device i 118f similarly coniprisesapair ofinner. and outer rings 131 and 132,andfinterp'osedantifriction elements 183. E'lhe'inner[ring 1,31 is rigidly secured toga lowerendv portion ofthe shaft 59,' while" the, outer end" 132`,is forced a gainsta shoulder'135 formed enlarging a lower portion 1366i:l the opening f in the tubular portion: L43 fof theusupporting member 21. `llenye, thelfower end portion `134 of the vertical drivingshaft 59 is' aorde'd a rotatable mounting inthefaxis of the tubular portion 43 andrk prevented vfrom undesirable lateral 'movement ,lhe `ij'aassfage' of grease out of the chambe'njwhich is.' formed rizo' between the anti-friction devices'117` and 118., Y

is preventedby a closure plate-137,.'- ,A In' accordance 'with my""invention,"" the `7118. The bevel gear-wheel 141 meshes with plate 149 extends Vwithin av recess between van axially elongated flange 'or hub steering wheel 2 comprises-a pairof sections -"138 and 139 which arespaced to receive therebetween the gear-.wheel mechanism f61 and the clutchv 62. The gear-wheel mechanism 61 comprises a pinion 141 whichis mounted on Y a lower end portionpof the shaft 59 extending beyond the anti-friction supporting means aj bevel gear-wheel 142 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 13betweenthe steering-wheel sections 138 and 139. Opposite sideY portions 143 and 144 of the gear-'wheel 142V inwardly ofthe teeth ,thereof yare Substantially flat constituting clutchl faces. The

-clutch face 144 engages a friction washer 145 which abuts against a clutch face 146-formed fonan innerend of a hub147 of the steering- Vwheel section'139. VBetween theclutch face 5.143 and a clutch` face 148-of a bearing plate -149 isl positioned a friction washer 151. The bearing plate 149 has a splined connection Y152I tothe Shaft 13. VA central hub portion 153 of the bearing 154 formed portion 155V of aisteering-wheel section 138 and the shaft 13. A spring 156 is positioned within this recessandV engages at one end. a .wall-157 of the wheel section-'138 and at the Votherendtlie'hub portion 153 fof the bearing Vplate149. The forceV of the spring 156 is such that the partsy of the clut'ch`62 just mentioned transmit sufleient power from the driving motor 57 to the wheel sections v138 i f and 139 to startthe car with two passengers.

Should the car be subjected,rhowever, to a greaterload,l aszwhen in engagement with another car, the 'spring 156 is so designed as to permit slippage to occur in 'the clutchv 62.

Such slippage permits the continued opera ltion of the motor 57 without over-loading the same; y f Y 'The gearing 61', as well as the clutch 562,

infmy invention arefe'nclosed by mea-ns of a vcasing or housing 158 comprising a tubular portion '1,59 which' rotatably engages the flange portion 155 of the wheel section 138.y

l.Rotationfofthecasing159 with the driving tionv1'39 is closed by means of anendV plate fvvvheel' sections 1381'and 139 is prevented by means Vof acasing portion 161 which fits in a recess '162 formed in the lower end portion of thetubular portion 43 immediately adjacent to the anti-friction device 118. An open side of tliecasing.158'adjacent to the wheel slec- 163, as shown in Fig. 3. In this manner, the Vgear-wheel mechanism 61 and theclutch `62 7 are completely enclosed, so that the housing 158 may be filled with lubricating material. vfurther feature ofk my invention is. the

` provision of each of the wheel 'sections 138,

139 witha circula-rk groove 164 in the periphf -ery thereof. f This groove is filled with an expansible vpacking 165 which always tends vto extend beyonda floor-engaging surface 166 ofthe wheel section regardless` of theamount of wear of the packing 165. `In this manner, goodfrictionalconta'ct is maintained between .the'steering-wheel sections 138 andf139 and A 15u11 farther' feature ofi my invention is VIthe provision of-mea'ns-for resiliently retardling the movement of the power-driven steering wheely 2 vupon the actuation thereof into lthe 'steering wheel 2 has been moved through a angle from `the dotted-line position in F ig. 4 to the dot-and-dash'V line position. Similarly, the arm 169 is so positioned asto the floor surfaee-12iwitha minimumvertical load thereon. y

'IBl

areversing position, as shown in dash-lines iin Fig. 4.' To this-end,- I provide a spring strip 167 which ismounted on the upper side 'ofthe' base plate 38V between thel portion 41 Y V21nd a stopi168. AOpposite ends 169 and 171 i soi" be? engaged lby the shoulder176 lwhen the steering wheel 2 has been moved `in the op'- posite direction through a 90.o angle from the Y mid-positionl shown in Fig. 4.

' :Should the movement ofthe-steering wheel 2 be continu'edjinto the dash-line position,

the resilientA arm 169 is bent into the dot-anddash line position, the extent of the movevment being limited the dimensions ofthe recess 17 2.' Since the steering wheel 1 is now in afpositionfmoreV than 90o from its midposition, the; car is immediately propelled rearwardly. Such operation is of considerable;importance in the event that thegcar is incontact with another car, a bumper rail or other obstruction preventing a forward or side 'movement Similarly, the lengthof the other recess 173 is sufficient to permit a Y limited movement of the shoulder' 176 and hence the steeringwheel 2 beyond the 'dotf anddash line posltlon shown in Fig. 4. Hence, a rearwardmovementrof. the `car may be effected when the steering wheel k2 is moved Vin either Ydirection from thermid-.position through anangle slightly greater thanr90o,

"the additional movement necessary to reverse lthe direction. of propulsion ofthe ear being retarded by the force of one Vof the spring arms 169,171.v VThe member 17 5 is pivotally secured tothe base bolt 177, so that when thespring 167 is to vbe removed, it is necessary only toloosen the bolt177 and turn the member 175 away from the spring 167. y Y In operation, assuming the steering wheel 2 in the mid-position shown in Fig. 1, when anoperator closes a; foot-control switch '178 plate 38 by means of a d' i wheel sections 138 and 139 thus causes the propulsion of the car and since the steering wheel 2 is in the mid-position, the car moves forwardly 1n a straight direction. In the event that the car is to be turned, the operator merely moves the steering wheel 2 in the proper direction. Such movement, through the shaft 49 and coacting gear wheels 47, 48

and the U-shaped supporting member 21 causes the turning of the sections 138 and 139 of the steering wheel 2 about a vertical axis and the car proceeds in the new direction. j

If the further movement of the car to the front and the side should be blocked by another car, a bumper rail or the like, a reverse movement of the car is obtained without reversing the direction of rotation of the motor 57 merely by so turning the steering member 52 that the shoulder 176 bears against and bends rearwardly one of the arms 169, 171 of the spring 167. When the car is to be stopped, the foot operated push-button switch 178 is released.

In the event that a larger gear-wheel 141 is to be used, the lower halves of the bearings 16 and 17 are released by unscrewing the bolts 24 and the wheel 2 together when the clutch 62 is withdrawn as a unit, whereupon the new gear-wheel is mounted on the lower end of the shaft 59. When the steering wheel 2 is again placed in position between the arms 18 and 19 of the U-shaped supporting member 21, it is necessary to adjust the steering wheel 2 slightly to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, in order that the gear-wheel 142 may properly mesh with the new gearwheel. This may be readily done by releasing the nut 32 and tightening the opposite nut 29. Y 4

Y While I have shown only one embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its principlesy of construction and operation and arrangement, it is apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the spirit of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon, as are indicated in the appended claim or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

An amusement car comprising a horizontal platform, a seat disposed above said u platform adjacent the rear end thereof, rear wheels disposed below said seat at opposite sides of said platform in such relation to said seat as to support the weight of occupants of the seat substantially in balance, a tractionsteering wheel disposed adjacent the front end of said platform, a carrier for said steering wheel provided with a bearing plate disposed substantially in the plane of said platform, laterally spaced bearings on and dev pending from said .carrier platembetween which said steering wheel is mounted, a horizontal shaft carried by said bearings and extending axially through` said steering wheel for rotatably supporting said steering wheel insaid carrier, a fixed bearing plate rigidly secured to said platform and bearing on said carrier bearing plate, a vertically extending bearing on said rigid bearing plate, a shank extending vertically from said carrier bearing plate through the vertical bearing on said rigid bearing plate,the axis of said shank being disposed at .the intersection of a vertical plane passing through thehoiizontal axis of said steering wheel and a vertical plane passing through the center of the over.- all width of said steering wheel, a motorv ari ranged with its shaft in vertical axial alignment with said carrier shank, means. extending axially through said shank and operatively connected at its opposite ends with said motor shaft and said traction-steering wheel respectively, and means connected to said shank and extending within reach of an operator normally occupying said seat for turning the traction-steering wheel about its vertical axis for steering said car, the balancing of the occupants weight reducing steering resistance between the said relativef ly movable bearing plates, and the alignment of the vertical and horizontal axes of said traction-steering wheel eliminating driving thrust resistance tov the steering, whereby steering of the car under load is reduced to a minimum.V

ROBERT J. LUSSE. 

